Eleni's Missing Years

Chapter 12

Snape smoothed Eleni’s forehead with a damp cloth. Poppy Pomfrey had used several cooling spells but Eleni’s fever continued bouncing back.

He hadn’t moved from her bedside since bringing her to the hospital wing, limp and wasting away in his arms.

Poppy Pomfrey had been aghast when he had awakened her in the middle of the night and seen the inert figure, covered in dry blood.

‘Professor Snape,’ she had gasped, her hand pressed against her chest. ‘What in the world… how… what in Gods happened?’

But he was in no mood for discussion. ‘Explanations can wait till later,’ he had snapped. ‘Amongst other things, she has lost a great deal of blood. If she is to survive it must be replenished immediately.’

‘Yes of course, bring her over here,’ Poppy had said.

Snape had put Eleni down gently and stood close by while Poppy used spells and charms, slipping various potions through Eleni’s barely opened mouth.

Finally as Poppy used her wand to make the dry blood caked over Eleni’s body disappear, Professor McGonagall appeared.

‘What happened?’ she cried to Snape. ‘Where did you find her?’

‘In the Forbidden Forest,’ he said. ‘We were attacked by “Vampirimots.”'

‘What on earth was she doing there?’ said McGonagall. ‘She knows the school rules.’

‘Right now that isn’t important,’ he said. ‘When is Dumbledore expected back?’

‘Not till tomorrow if not the next day,’ she said.

‘Well then he must be summoned back immediately,’ said Snape. ‘The forest was crawling with those “Vampirimots”. Lucky for us the Centaurs turned up when they did. They held them off, which allowed us to escape underground.’

‘Voldemort?’ she asked, her face narrowing in fury.

‘Undoubtedly,’ he said. ‘His stooges, watching and waiting.’

‘Then I’ll owl Dumbledore immediately.’

Snape glanced at Eleni who was now lying under crisp, white sheets.

‘Actually Minerva,’ he said, ‘before you owl him, there is something you can do for me.’

‘What is it?’ she asked.

‘I can’t very well Apparate into the Gryffindor dormitories. Therefore I need you to do it for me and search Eleni’s room. Bring me any vials you find, no matter whether they are empty or full. Something triggered this off tonight and I must find out what.’

‘Very well,’ said McGonagall, stroking Eleni’s head. ‘I’ll do it immediately.’

‘Good, you will find me here,’ he said.

‘Is that wise Severus,’ she said looking at him, ‘you look worn out. Perhaps you should go and rest.’

‘No,’ he said firmly, ‘I am remaining here.’

After Professor McGonagall left, Snape sat by Eleni, watching her toss and turn, her eyes moving frantically under her closed eyelids. He wondered what she was seeing.

* * * * *

She spent most of her time alone. She had come late and unexpected into her parent’s life. They tried to be good, dutiful parents but their work was of vital importance and they were away more often than at home. Her two older brothers were already grown up, graduated and like their parents studying to be Aurors.

She complained that she never saw any of them but they chided her, explaining that they had important jobs, that evil people roamed the wizard world and it was up to them to stop the spread of such wickedness.

‘Aurors have very special jobs,’ her parents told her, before each assignment that would take them away for weeks. ‘Now be a good girl and go to your room.’

One day she was wandering out alone, after not having seen her parents for over a month. Close to her home was a deep, blue lake, that she liked to visit. There she’d watch the ducks frolic in the water, while other children accompanied by their parents fed theducks bread and fruit.

She was staring, wishing she could exchange places with one of the children, when a shadow fell over her, blocking out the sun. She looked up and saw a man smiling at her. He gave her some bread to feed the ducks and said he understood how alone she felt.

‘How would you like to be my special friend,’ he told her.

They remained together for the rest of the afternoon. The man had an endless supply of bread for the ducks and he made her laugh with his funny stories and jokes.

They began to meet every day. And each day he’d bring her sweets and a bag of bread for the ducks.

But try as she did, she never quite saw his face. It was always half hidden under a hood and seemingly in motion, always changing. One day she’d think he had brown eyes, the next the eyes were blue. One day his nose was small, the next large and squat. It anyone was to ask her for a description, she wouldn’t know what to say, only that his voice was kind and that each day he was waiting, promising that he’d be her friend forever.

* * * * *

The first touches of light had begun to touch the horizon when Madam Pomfrey came to check on Eleni.

‘Any change?’ she asked Snape, who had remained still and silent by the bed.

‘No,’ he said. ‘I’ve applied your cooling spell over and over but the fever continues to return.’

Poppy leant over and pulled back Eleni’s eyelids.

‘Her blood count is rising but she is weak and there is much turbulence in her.’

‘Yes,’ he said. ‘However I hope that in time it will pass.’

She studied the dark shadows under his eyes. ‘Perhaps Severus,’ she said, ‘you need to rest yourself.’

‘I am not leaving,’ he snapped.

Madam Pomfrey wanted to insist but when she saw the fury in his eyes, she resisted. She had known him for years and knew it was best to stay away when he was in this mood.

‘Fine,’ she said, examining Eleni one more time, ‘I’m not going to waste my time arguing with you. Just let me know the moment there’s any change.’

‘As you wish,’ he said, re applying the cool cloth to Eleni’s brow.

Once Madam Pomfrey had left, Snape shook his head both in annoyance and worry. What he asked himself, over and over, had gone wrong? He had only spoken to her yesterday and things were proceeding as planned. He had worked many hours to create the potion, obeying Dumbledore’s wishes that things were to proceed gradually.

So then, he asked again. Why did it go wrong?

* * * * *

‘Your parents do important work, don’t they?’ the man one day asked her, as they walked through the trees towards the crystal blue lake.

‘Yes they do,’ she said with a touch of pride, as she stopped to pick a white flower that was growing by the path. ‘Although sometimes I wish they didn’t, so they could spend more time at home. I hardly ever see them or my brothers.’

‘What exactly is their work?’ asked the man, taking her hand in his.

‘They catch bad people.’

‘Is that what they tell you?’

‘Yes,’ she said. ‘They say there are many bad people in the world.’

‘Do you know when you’re parents are returning from this current mission?’

‘Next week,’ she said. ‘I heard the servants talk about it. There’s going to be thisspecial meeting at our house. It’s going to be full of important people.’

‘I heard something of this meeting. Do you know what’s going to be discussed at this meeting?’ asked the man.

She stopped and looked at him, still unable to distinguish what he looked like.

‘I’m not supposed to say anything,’ she said. ‘It’s top secret.’

‘Really,’ said the man, handing her a sweet.

‘My parents have always told me not to talk to strangers.’

‘But surely you don’t consider me a stranger,’ he said, taking her hand and giving it a gentle squeeze. ‘I thought we were friends.’

‘We are friends,’ she said. ‘You’re the only friend I’ve got.’

‘Then if we’re friends,’ he persisted, ‘it’s safe to tell me everything you know about this special meeting.’

She didn’t give him an immediate answer. She walked alone to the ducks. By now they knew her well and would swim rapidly in her direction when they saw her coming.

She threw a large chunk of bread into the water and thought about her parents. They had told her many times not to speak to strangers but what was she supposed to do, never talk to anyone? Never have friends? Didn’t they realise how lonely she got?

And the man had been so kind and nice. He met her every day, talked and listened when she spoke. He was her special friend. Her secret friend. Someone who no one knew about.

She turned to look at him and was rewarded by a smile.

A fire of rebellion suddenly stirred in her belly. Why shouldn’t she tell him what he wanted to know? They were never around. It would serve them right if she told all their secrets. That would teach them to leave her behind, shoo her out of the room, pretend she didn’t exist.

* * * * *

Snape jumped to his feet the moment he saw Professor McGonagall return.

‘Did you find anything?’ he asked.

‘Yes,’ she said, taking an empty vial out of her pocket and handing it to him. ‘This was by her bedside. Presumably it’s your potion.’

Snape recoiled inwardly at her remark but before he could respond, he heard a disturbance behind him.

‘Professor McGonagall, Professor Snape,’ said a voice.

‘Yes,’ he sneered, turning to confront the familiar voice.

Harry, Ron and Hermione were standing at the door, white faced and worried.

‘What are you three doing here?’ Snape asked.

‘The three of you should be in class not here,’ said McGonagall, in a much kinder voice.

‘We heard about Eleni,’ said Hermione, ‘and we just wanted to make sure she was all right.’

‘She’s very ill,’ said McGonagall.

‘Can we see her?’ asked Harry, on his tiptoes, trying to see past the two Professors who were blocking his view.

‘Certainly not,’ said Snape. ‘Now back to class before I give the three of you detention.’

Professor McGonagall gave him a warning glance before turning to the trio.

‘It’s best that you don’t see her right now,’ she said, kindly, ‘Eleni is unconscious. However the moment she wakes I’ll let her know the three of you were here. Now you better return to class before Madam Pomfrey sees you.’

The three nodded and turned to go.

‘Wait,’ Snape suddenly said.

Harry, Ron and Hermione turned and looked at him a little fearfully.

‘I want to know if either of you have noticed anything peculiar about Eleni in the last few days?’

The trio shook their heads

‘I mean she was disappointed that she couldn’t got to Hogsmeade,’ said Harry, ‘but that’s about it.’ He looked at Ron and Hermione who nodded in agreement.

‘She did tell us about taking the potion you had made her,’ said Hermione, ‘but she never really told us what it was for.’

Snape grimaced with annoyance. The Granger girl as per usual was trying to extract extra information from him.

‘Think again,’ he said. ‘Have you noticed anything else, anything at all, no matter how insignificant you might think it is?’

They shook their heads.

‘Very well,’ said Snape, stepping back, ‘but it there’s anything you remember, I want you to let me know immediately.’

‘All right the three of you better go,’ said McGonagall, shooing them out.

* * * * *

Harry, Ron and Hermione left the hospital wing and didn’t stop walking till they were out of earshot.

‘What was that all about?’ asked Ron. ‘Did you see Snape? I’ve never seen him that worried.’

‘Well someone at breakfast said it was he that found her,’ said Hermione.

‘Where?’ asked Harry.

‘Someone said they heard McGonagall tell Hagrid that she had been found in the Forbidden Forest,’ said Hermione. ‘And some of the first years told me they heard screams coming from her room, like she was having a terrible nightmare or something.’

‘Wow,’ said Harry, ‘the mystery deepens.’

‘Wonder what’s wrong with her,’ said Ron.

‘Well Snape wasn’t about to tell us,’ said Hermione. ‘Did you notice the way he and McGonagall were blocking our view?’

‘Hey I bet it has something to do with that potion he was giving her,’ said Harry.

‘Yes,’ said Hermione, thinking hard, ‘didn’t she say she was having trouble sleeping?’

‘He’s probably poisoned her,’ said Ron. ‘I wouldn’t put it past him.’

‘No Ron,’ said Hermione, ‘otherwise he wouldn’t have gone to find her.’

‘Well till I hear otherwise,’ said Ron, ‘that’s what I’m going to believe. As I said I wouldn’t put it past him.’

‘What are you three doing here,’ cried a nasty voice. ‘Up to some mischief I suppose.’

There was no need to turn, they knew who it was. Filch.

‘Sorry,’ said Harry, ‘we’re just on our way to class.’

‘Move it,’ said Filch, ‘otherwise I’ll tell Professor McGonagall. I’m tired of the way you three sneak around. I know what I’d do if I was headmaster of this school. String the three of you up.’

The three of them looked at each other and rolled their eyes, trying to hold back the laughter. They ran off before he could say another word.